Gig Harbor’s Maxwell, Willett and Peninsula’s Frazier have all passed 1,000 career points

Three high school girls basketball players in the Gig Harbor area have all passed 1,000 career points this year: Peninsula’s Belle Frazier (1,156 currently) and Gig Harbor’s Brynna Maxwell (1,122) and Maddie Willett.

Frazier, a junior at Peninsula, was the first to pass the mark in early January. Willett and Maxwell passed the same mark later in January.

For Gig Harbor, the previous career points record was 949, set by Rebecca Sexton in 2007. For one player to break that mark would have been impressive enough. But two on the same team? That’s another feat altogether.

For Peninsula, the record-keeping for the girls basketball side has been spotty. Frazier may already be the school’s record-holder. She almost certainly will be by the time she graduates.

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Folks often talk about the “glory days” of a particular school’s sport. Banners — on the walls of high school gyms highlight state championships — can sometimes show trends and pique curiosity. For girls basketball in the area? We’re in the golden era, right now.

Peninsula, a fledgling program as recently as three years ago, is suddenly in the midst of its best season in some time. Peninsula finished with a 17-3 overall record and an 11-3 record in the Class 3A South Sound Conference. Frazier is a big reason why the Seahawks are enjoying so much success.

“It’s a big deal,” Peninsula coach Mike Schick said in January. “I think it’s a bigger deal for her because she’s very unselfish. You see programs where a player were to put up 30 points a game, but it’s for a 3-17 team. This is starting to become a winning program. To still be a team player and look for other girls — she’s not worried about her stats, she’s worried about helping the team, whether that’s with steals, rebounds, assists or scoring when we need her to.”

Stars come along from time to time for high school basketball programs. But for Gig Harbor, it has two at the same time in Maxwell and Willett.

“That’s huge,” said 2007 GHHS grad Sexton, the school’s previous record holder. “That must be some good passing and ball sharing. It’s amazing. It sounds like it might be a lot more challenging to get two girls to that milestone.”

Sexton, who went on to play basketball at Whitman College in Walla Walla, lives in Lakewood with her husband Michael and their dogs. She said she was impressed that three girls in the same town have passed the 1,000-points mark.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “Hopefully that speaks well to programs growing girls basketball in the Gig Harbor area. When we got there, that was new to be recruited by colleges. I hope it means Gig Harbor is really investing in getting these girls more opportunities.”

The ride together won’t last much longer, now. While Maxwell is still a junior, Willett is a senior and will graduate in the spring.

Gig Harbor has posted a 16-4 overall record and a 13-1 record in the SSC 3A this season. Maxwell is averaging 20.9 points per game, while Willett is averaging 14.4.

While the boys teams generally draw larger crowds, it’s worth checking out a girls game this season, if you haven’t yet. Time is running out.

Both teams are in the postseason and playing in the West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament and both teams have a good shot to reach the state tournament.

So, take the kids, take your significant other, take a friend, or just go solo. There’s still time to see three of the most prolific scorers the area has ever produced in girls basketball. Just don’t wait much longer because, before you know it, they’ll be gone.

Cost: Admission for the Class 3A West Central/Southwest bi-district tournament is $8 for adults for students without ASB card, $5 for students with ASB, $4 for elementary (under 12), $5 for seniors (62 and over) and free for preschoolers with a parent.